Cities fight for influence; suburbs inherit power, lots o’ Democrats

As part out the TU’s periodic series “Capital Region at the Crossroads,” we had this story in Sunday’s paper, exploring how the mass movement of people that came with the suburbanization of the region has changed the political power structures that built up over the first half of the 20th century and earlier.

The short answer is that the suburbs have seen their influence rise and — in some ways — eclipse that of their larger, older urban neighbors. But this hasn’t come without costs. In the bargain, the Republican party has seen its grip on suburban communities weaken and in some cases vanish. Both here and throughout the state.

While we in the news biz — and those in political circles — have viewed this largely through the lens of an internecine squabble within the Albany County Democratic Committee over who gets to wield the gavel, the city or the suburbs, there are larger things at stake: Can the city assert its agenda when its influence, at least by the measure of its voters, is waning?

If not, what hope is there for a serious effort to address problems in urban infrastructure, schools and public safety throughout upstate?

For more on the series, which has been a collaborative effort of the City Desk, Business Desk, Web staff, Art Department and beyond, check out the Crossroads blog.

One Response

This is nice academic treatise worthy of civics textbook but it isn’t real world. Remember the classroom scene in Rodney Dangerfield’s “Back to School” when the isolated professor tried to teach text book economics and businessman Rodney had to explain greasing the wheel? Same her but political. When the Soros gang in Manhattan needed an outpost in the state capitol they sure as hillary didn’t waste time and money setting up a political organization in the suburbs. They went downtown and signed up the machine with all the graveyard votes and improperly monitored polling sites that go with it.
Presto, chango, Soares-oh! The burbs still don’t have a clue what hit them. And all that Manhattan money is sitting in armored cars in the event that the ignorant voters try to overcome their plans for us.